Escaping Money’s Grasp Every contemporary human behavior is now connected, in some way, to money. From the biological (washing one's hands, eating, exercise, etc.) to the psychological (therapy, entertainment, etc.) to even the relational (dating apps, meetup apps, etc.). In fact, most of us today live our childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood as a long preparation for our “real” life in the job market in order to make money. Behind every currency, however, it is quite apparent to everyone (even thirteen-year-old kids) that money’s value is inherently arbitrary and artificial. All currencies are “phantoms”. This essay will argue that despite money’s lack of value, it creates a system that places money above ourselves, and we are upholding that reality despite the harm it does for us. This essay will also explore a contemporary attempt to reclaim man’s superiority over money, and why that attempt does not fully succeed. Money’s “non-value” can be revealed through a sim...